FROM PIGEONS: SPYING TO RACING
While India is spooked over flying pigeons, in Kandy a club is popularizing pigeon racing
NBy Amra Ismail o one would have ever thought that pigeons could instigate fear in the human mind. Pigeons are the remnants of nature to still inhabit the urbanized part of the world. It is not rare to see a generous soul feed them in the centre of the city. Though they seem innocuous, at the hands of manipulators, they could unleash their potential which could even become a threat to national security.
In recent times pigeons have been detained on suspicion of spying. The recent pigeon espionage attempt came from India where a pigeon was taken into custody for carrying a warning note to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Modi, we’re not the same people of 1971. Now, each and every child is ready to fight against India,” the note read in Urdu. It has been allegedly signed by a Pakistan-based militant group.
It should also be noted that pigeons have rescued people by delivering messages under dire circumstances.
They were the first animals to be awarded the Dickin Medal (Which is a prestigious award that honours animals for their heroic work during wars) for rescuing British aircrew during World War II. Their loyalty is indeed commendable.
The PDSA Dickin Medal was instituted in 1943 in the United Kingdom by Maria Dickin to honour the work of animals in World War II. It is a bronze medallion, bearing the words “For Gallantry” and “We Also Serve” within a laurel wreath, carried on a ribbon of striped green, dark brown, and pale blue. (Wiki) Known as the homing pigeon
(Columba Livia Domestica) these type of pigeons are popular for pigeon racing as well. While India is spooked out by pigeons and is strengthening surveillance, Sri Lanka has ventured into pigeon racing.
Speaking to Shafreen Azeez, the Secretary of the Kandy Racing Pigeons Club, told us that pigeons were loyal birds and their loyalty was strengthened through quality upbringing.
“No matter who you are, if you give them good food and the necessary medication they will come back to you,” he said.
“Pigeons are given the best of seeds such as popcorn, mughal beans, watana, red rice, paddy rice, cowpea, wheat, green gram, and sorghum. Doctors visit the birds regularly and they are given vaccines. Their cages are cleaned at least once a week.
“Every three days they are given showers. Fanciers would spend time daily with the birds as well. Hence pigeons naturally get attached to the pigeon fanciers,” he said. They have a very good sense of smell as they can smell over 32 km in distance. They also have a good memory and they remember specific points such as lakes, tall buildings. All these factors help them find their way back home to their loft
The Kandy Racing Pigeons Club, which is the first Pigeon Racing Club in the country, was established in 2015.
Azeez is one of its founding members. The most recent pigeon racing event, organised by the Kandy Racing Pigeons Club was held last month at the Galle Face Green.
Pigeons were required to fly from Galle Face to their lofts in Kandy.
In the recent racing event, which was held for the 6th time, 27 pigeon fanciers participated and 105 pigeons took part.
The owners of the three winning birds were awarded cash prizes of Rs. 50,000, Rs. 30,000, Rs. 20,000 respectively.
The club hopes to give medication, food supplements and proteins recognizing the effort of the birds in future events.
“This was the last race for this year and it was the grandest one held so far. People from all communities, despite differences in race, ethnicity, age, language, gender and economic status came together in the race,” Azeez said.
He told us that trained pigeons could travel from any part of the country to their lofts.
“If you train the pigeon to fly 100km they develop a special ability of returning to their home from any part of the country. They use many methods to navigate. The position of the sun and earth’s magnetic field, help them find their lofts.
“They have a very good sense of smell as they can smell over 32 km in distance. They also have a good memory and they remember specific points such as lakes, tall buildings. All these factors help them find their way back home to their loft,” he noted.
“Before you start training, the birds are allowed to fly around your house for at least two weeks. They can see over 32 km in air and they can fly 2 km at a stretch. So, when they start from 2 km they will definitely come back. They will not get lost even during a race,” he added.
Offering further insight into how they are trained to use their full potential he said that racing pigeons were trained in the morning.
“They will be taken in a training basket. Within five days of their birth we will tag an identification ring to the foot of the bird. It will mention the owner’s name, the owner’s club name etc,” he said.
He said that the tag would not hurt the bird in any way.
“This is used all over the world. It’s like an identification card and we can establish the pedigree through it. We are strictly against any form of cruelty to pigeons,” he added.
Referring to pigeon racing he said that though there were short distance (100300km), medium distance (300-700km) and long distance (700-1,200km) racing events.
Sri Lanka as of yet, offered short distance events only.
“But in India there are long distance pigeon racing events, covering about 1000 km. It takes five to seven days of flying,” he added.
When the fanciers give the pigeons to the organisers of the race, a special expandable rubber ring is tagged to the pigeons’ foot. The rubber ring contains a specific three-digit PIN number. At a racing event, the birds are released from the same spot at the same time.
According to Azeez the air distance from the loft to the releasing point (starting point) is usually calculated through mobile application or Apps.
“When the fanciers give the pigeons to the organisers of the race, a special expandable rubber ring is tagged to the pigeons’ foot. The rubber ring contains a specific three-digit PIN number. At a racing event, the birds are released from the same spot at the same time. When each bird returns to its loft, the fancier should take the bird and remove the rubber ring. They then send the PIN number through a text (SMS) message to the organizers. The time the text is sent is considered to be the bird’s time of arrival. We calculate the speed of the bird’s flight through these data and that is how we rank the birds,” he added.
Extending an invitation for other pigeon fanciers in Kandy to join his club Azeez said that they also invite people from other parts of the country to start pigeon clubs.
“We are most willing to share our experience and help them in every way possible,” he said.